St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-08
THAT BUNDLE.

MIR. and Miss Haven, business man
and his daughter, came to America for
three months one April, ana among the
other visits they made one to mutual
friends in the town in which lived.
| called 10 see them the day after their
arrival. They were out, and left town
without returning my call. as they were
there but Il day or two, and without See
ing me or any of my family. | thought
but little of this matter. though | was
sorry to have missed them.
y month went by, and one evening,
Just nj twilight, one of the ladies of the
family whom they had viSited-whom |
call Smith for the sake of convenience
came in 10 see me, and said:
"Oh, | only ran in for Il minute. I've
been trying To come for a month to ask
YOU why You never acknowledged the
receipt of that bundle Mr.. Haven brought
over to YOU from Mrs. Bowen"
"What bundle?H | said. "Inever had
any bundles. never knew that Mrs.
Bowen sent me any bundle"
why. You must have it, You must
forget. Mr.. Haven sent it to you by the
Adams Express from New York as soon
as he landed, and he has thought it very
strange that you never acknowledged
il. And he has got 50 veXed about il.
and thought it so rude of You not to
thank him for bringing it to you, that
he wouldn't ask about it until now. lust
as he was going home again, for he
wants TO tell Mrs. Bowen you received
it,"
Il am awfully sorry" | said, ''but
You know couldn't very we'll write
about a bundle | never received and
didn't know had been sent.
What was in the bundle?"
My curiosity was very great, and lis
tened eagerly for her answer. Visions
of all sorts of beautiful things flashed
through my head-gloves, handkerchiefs,
stockings. perhaps even a dress. Could
il be Il raViShing bonnet | was all ears
and all excitement.
Miss Haven said she didn't know
what was in the bundle, but she said it
felt like silks or SatinS. 1t wasn't large
bundle"
WELL" said. ''nOw where under the
sun is that bundle?"
1T might possibly have gone to faith
er's. my husband remarked
He had dropped his usually allah
SOrbing evening paper and was listening
10 us.
Dear me. if there is anything abso-
lutely detestable it is to live in a small
town and he the duplicate in name OF
tached, which all your friends forget
and all your enemies as well. Our dim
ners have gone to your fathers, and they
have eaten them. They have Stewed
our cherished small purchases of early
Bermuda tomatoes for salads, read my
letters. been Mortified by my bills, kept
my dresses and bOnnetS a week OF so
until they found they We're mine, and
now they have got my bundle. L WISH
and here | rose from my chair to give
emphasis to my wortls-''yes, l do wish
you had been named acknowledgement;
anything but what you are named"
Yes" said my husband, lit is annoy
ing certainly; but you know even my
mother would hardly have kept bundle
three months. On the whole, it couldn't
have gone there"
felt stern rebuke in my husbands
voice, and | took refuge in remarking
tartly:
We'll. what did you suggest it for?"
IF you will wait, Mrs. Smith," said
my husband. rising. TN walk up to
fathers and just find out positively if
the bundle went there or not. If it didn't
we must inquire at the express office.
OF course, it will turn up"
So he went off, and we sat and talked
until he came back, but when he did
come it was only to say:
They don't know anything about any
bundle"
We exclaimed, and wondered, and
SurmiSed for little while, and then my
husband went down town and inquired
at the express Office. After he went
Mrs. Smith explained to me that Mr..
Hagen. in his frequent trips across the
Atlantic, had been so bothered by fire.
quent applications from friends to take
IN 90
times dutiable goods, which he was eX-
pected to smHggle, thathe had for years
made it point to say No" to all such
requests from everybody, no matter
from whom they might come; but that
my sister, not being aware of this fact,
had asked him to take the small bundle
for me, and that he had gladly done so.
Miss Haven had described the bundle to
Mrs. Smith. 1t was about ten inches
long, five wide, and was done up in gray
wrapping paper and was fully addressed
to me-State, city, street and number.
Miss Haven remembered t'the bundle
wildly, because when MrS;iBowen had
sent word that it was a small bundle,
she judged that it might perhaps fill up
quarter of trunk of ordinary size,
and SO had packed one of our trunks
with reference to it, and was delight
fully surprised when she found that
from her point of view it really was
small bundle. 1t was the only bundle
they brought over not their own. They
had brought over two or three gifts for
friends, and all had been sent away at
the same time from the Hotel Bruins
wick in New York.
Here seemed Il clew that l eagerly
caught.
1T may have gone as gift to one of
those friends who Just acknowledged
receiving their beautiful presents, etc,
and didn't specify what article had been
received; | said.
But" said Mrs. Smith, 1.-THE bundle
was addressed to you. They never
changed it at all. but just sent it off,
company has mislaid it OF lost it, but it
would be real comfort to me to know
what was in that bundle"
Write to your sister and find out"
said Mrs. Smith.
brilliant ideal" I sat down to my
desk and wrote two letters, one to my
sister in Paris. saying that [ had just
learned that she had sent me bundle
by Mr.. Haven, and that it never reached
me. AS | wrote it occurred to me that
she had intended the gift as surprise,
and that was the reason had not known
OF it. All this / wrote and begged her
to answer me at once. This was Mon
day night, and | was going to New
York the next day. Mr.. Haven was to
sail for lIavrc on The next day but one.
wrote note to Mr.. Haven, who was
to return alone, stating the facts about
the bundle; that l deeply regretted to
know that he had thought me remiSs in
acknowledging his kindness, ETC., and !
added the next day was going to New
York and would he at the Brevoort
house. and that if he had time would
be glad TO see him there before he
sailed. Both letters were mailed that
night.